With the introduction of consumer premises based access node using cellular communication technologies, e.g. Home Node B (HNB), Home eNode B (HeNB), Femto Cell base station, Atto Cell base station or home base station, 3GPP also created use cases for the Local IP Access (LIPA) and Selected IP Traffic Offloading (SIPTO) (NPL 1), where the a User Equipment (UE) is allowed to access a local network connected or near to the HNB/HeNB besides the mobile network operator's core network. For example, LIPA allows direct access to the home based network or general Internet without going through the operator's core network.
In certain cases, such connection will continue even if the UE moves away from the consumer premises. For example, a user may want to continue access to certain files or media contents when he left his home, or the user may want to remotely control certain devices in the home network. Such a remote access is termed Remote Local IP Access (RIPA).
In the RIPA case, the UE's traffic goes via the operator's core network. Depending on its location, the UE may be attached to the operator's core network via different access technologies, including 3GPP (cellular communication based) access network (or system) and non-3GPP (non-cellular communication based) access network (or system). The procedures for obtaining access through those accesses are defined in (NPL 1) and (NPL 2).
For example, if the UE is close to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) that is deployed by the operator or supports interworking with the operator's core network, the UE may choose to establish a connection via the WLAN following the procedures defined in (NPL 2), and hands over the existing connections to the WLAN connections. This would allow the UE to enjoy higher bandwidth and cheaper rates. In addition, shifting the traffic to the WLAN access also allows the UE to save energies (battery) by turning its 3GPP access technology into IDLE mode or off.
In certain cases, the non-3GPP access point can be also mobile, for example, a Mobile Router, capable of cellular (e.g. 3GPP) communication and WLAN communication, installed on a train, vehicles, or car. In such case, the Mobile Router may also make use of 3GPP connections to obtain the backhaul connections to the operator's core network. In that case, the Mobile Router can aggregate several UE's connections over its 3GPP access.